A drum set starts a beat. Another layers on top of it. Then another. Suddenly there are five drum sets all playing in sync. They stop, and giggles and laughter from the musicians begin.
These are the sounds of a specific moment during a break at a Girls Rock NC summer camp, described by Cal Vicenta, the operations manager of GRNC.
Girls Rock is a nonprofit that aims to nurture a safe and inclusive community — providing girls, transgender and gender-expansive youth a space to explore their identity, create music and learn about intersectional gender justice.
GRNC holds weeklong summer camps where youth learn new instruments, create a band and write and perform original songs at a showcase for family, friends and GRNC members.
Vicenta said that watching the campers connect, even during breaks, is the best thing about being a part of GRNC.
At workshops during camp, kids learn about the historic roots of music, especially Black influence on rock music. A variety of local artists also perform at lunchtime to expose campers to music from different genres, races and genders.
When Liona Stebbins got involved with GRNC as a camper at 14 years old, she said she was surrounded by people who weren’t afraid to talk about their sexuality and life experiences. Now a GRNC youth mentor of two years, Stebbins describes her journey as coming full circle.
Stebbins always wanted to play music with other people, and she said GRNC provided resources for her to perform and create a band — called Hypnic Jerks — with other youth mentors. She described the end of camp showcase as a special and supportive environment for the campers.
“It's one of the safest spaces I've ever been in,” Stebbins said. "This is very blunt, but people don't care if you're good at playing music, they just want you to feel empowered through it. They create such a safe space for these kids to explore finding their own sound and mastering their instrument. The showcases are full of people who are just there to support you."
